Wine Country Fires
It’s been a while since my last blog. A lot has happened since the first of October. It was not anything I anticipated. Moving to wine country was the dream and never did I ever envision what ignited on the night of October 8th. It was supposed to be four days of family and visits throughout the valley to enjoy fine food and wine. As you are very much aware, that could not happen with the wildfires that broke out. The Diablo winds ripped through the valley and left real tragedy in its path. With speeds of up to 70 miles an hour, the winds pushed the fire and sent many scrambling for safety. 43 people lost their lives, and thousands lost their homes. We were fortunate – evacuated, yet returned home to only ash clean-up.
Thanks to first responders and firefighters, much remains the same in the valley. The valley is open for visitors and ready to make everyone who comes feel welcome. The countryside is still beautiful, and one would not necessarily even see the path the fires took during a visit to the wine country.
One of the most amazing things, though, is the real resilience of wine country. There is a strong sense of community and a commitment to help each other through. It is not like anything I have been present to living in the suburbs and the city. People quickly band together to help each other out and move forward. Charity is very palpable in the valley, and it is a real gift in this day and age.
There is much work to be done and you can help out in many ways:
Come visit and enjoy the hospitality of Napa and Sonoma.
Buy Napa and Sonoma wines where you live or order from your favorite winery.
Donate to charities. CaliforniaVolunteers, in the Office of the Governor, has created a list of organizations accepting charitable contributions to assist those affected by the October wildfires.
Wine country is open and welcoming visitors. The fall colors are on display – beautiful shades of red and rust and green. The rains have already soaked the ground and Mother Nature is alive with color. This is an opportunity to have a great time and make a difference for a community.
Come and Enjoy!
